ABSTRACT
This chapter examines research on play and early education organized in three sections: (1) definitions and concepts, including content pertaining to play and learning and play and assessment; (2) importance of play, including subsections for self-regulation, social competence, literacy, numeracy, physical well-being, and creative expression; and (3) play pedagogy, including sections on narrative approach, creative drama, use of open-ended objects and activities, and the use of electronic technology. With nuanced understanding of play concepts, and with knowing the importance of play in child development, professionals in the field are better positioned to articulate and implement pedagogies of play involving child-initiated and adult-guided or -directed play, thereby helping in stemming the tide of academic take-over of Early Childhood Education.
